I am a Devops engineer and I want explore cloud for the uplift of my career, so I want to go for AWS DevOps certification. But every professional certification has an associate certification, so is it necessary to have AWS Associate Certification needed for the AWS Certified DevOps engineer (professional certification exams)?

So you can directly go for AWS certified DevOps engineer professional examination

But as it is said: "construction of any building is complete only if it has strong base", So I would suggest you that, you should go for this certification only if you have any prior AWS platform experience

If you are new to this AWS then first you either go for AWS SysOps or AWS Developer certification

These certifications will help you in building proper understanding of basics of the subject which is equally essentials to master the advanced concepts